SpaceX F9 : NROL-69 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 24 March 2025 (17:48 UTC)

[Newton_V]

Any new news?

Yes 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/6150

This launch has appeared on NXSF with a NET March 24 launch date and planned RTLS booster landing at LZ-1.

It correlates with the data shown here.

It’s also likely to be the one mentioned by Ben Cooper on his webpage here:

A Falcon 9 will launch from pad 40 on TBD. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch.

[GewoonLukas_]

First NOTAM are out:

A1174/25 NOTAMN
Q) FAJO/QWMLW/IV/BO/W/000/999/4501S07550E999
A) FAJO B) 2503241015 C) 2503301934
D) 24 MAR 1015-2058, 25 MAR 2001-2044, 26 MAR 1947-2030, 27 MAR
1933-2016, 28 MAR 1919-14082002, 29 MAR 1905-1948, 30 MAR 1851-1934
E) AREA BOUNDED BY (4500S 07242E, 4500S 07500E, 4717S 07500E): SPACEX
NROL-69 STAGE 2 ROCKET RE-ENTRY TAKING PLACE. APPLICABLE AIRSPACE
DOWNGRADED TO CLASS G.
F) SFC G) UNL

F1151/25 NOTAMN
Q) YMMM/QWMLW/IV/BO/W/000/999/4929S07959E460
A) YMMM
B) 2503242015 C) 2503301934
D) 2503242015 TO 2503242058
   2503252001 TO 2503252044
   2503261947 TO 2503262030
   2503271933 TO 2503272016
   2503281919 TO 2503282002
   2503291905 TO 2503291948
   2503301851 TO 2503301934
E) ROCKET LAUNCH WILL TAKE PLACE
FLW RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
HAZARDOUS OPS WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR ATMOSPHERIC RE-ENTRY AND
SPLASHDOWN OF SPACEX NROL-69 ROCKET STAGE 2 WI THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
4249S 07500E
5302S 08747E
5418S 08405E
4717S 07500E TO BEGINNING
F) SFC G) UNL

Target orbit appears to be ~56° inclined:

[GewoonLukas_]

This launch has appeared on https://www.cadenaois.org/vpublic_anspdetail.jsp?view=15

Launch NET March 24th at 17:42 UTC

Primary Launch Day 24 MAR 1742Z-1824Z Backup Launch Day (1) 25 MAR 1728Z-1810Z Backup Launch Day (2) 26 MAR 1714Z-1756Z Backup Launch Day (3) 27 MAR 1700Z-1742Z Backup Launch Day (4) 28 MAR 1646Z-1728Z Backup Launch Day (5) 29 MAR 1632Z-1714Z Backup Launch Day (5) 30 MAR 1618Z-1700Z

Launch will be to the Northeast:

Launch azimuth is slightly lower then GPS III SV07 (RRT-1), so targeted inclination is probably 53 degrees

[randomname]

NGA rocket launching notice for this launch.

191844Z MAR 25
NAVAREA IV 332/25(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   241742Z TO 241824Z MAR, ALTERNATE
   251728Z TO 251810Z, 261714Z TO 261756Z,
   271700Z TO 271742Z, 281646Z TO 281728Z,
   291632Z TO 291714Z AND 301618Z TO 301700Z MAR
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-38.31N 080-37.17W, 28-51.00N 080-14.00W,
      28-44.00N 080-03.00W, 28-30.00N 080-18.00W,
      28-27.40N 080-31.49W.
   B. 30-14.00N 078-53.00W, 31-58.00N 077-03.00W,
      32-18.00N 076-17.00W, 32-02.00N 075-57.00W,
      31-15.00N 076-21.00W, 29-55.00N 078-35.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 301800Z MAR 25.

[Martin_G]

https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp:

NROL-69, CAPE CANAVERAL SFS, FL
PRIMARY:   03/24/25   1742Z-1824Z
BACKUP:      03/25/25   1728Z-1810Z

[zubenelgenubi]

Which first stage will be used for this launch? (semi-rhetorical question)

Falcon 9 first stages are now cleared for use up to forty times for non-crewed launches, although that number is apparently more restricted for Cargo Dragon or Cygnus than these other payloads.

Available first stages, with UTC date of most recent recovery:
1072.2    Jun 25   ?
1085.6    Jan 15   Fram2
1077.19  Feb 11  Starlink 12-25
1067.27  Feb 15
1080.17  Feb 18
1076.22  Feb 21
1083.10  Feb 27
1092.2    Feb 27

Edit March 21:  Errors corrected.

2nd edit March 21: It's B1092.2, skipping B1072.2, B1067.27, B1080.17, B1076.22, and B1083.10.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Which first stage will be used for this launch? (semi-rhetorical question)

Falcon 9 first stages are now cleared for use up to forty times for non-crewed launches, although that number is apparently more restricted for Cargo Dragon or Cygnus than these other payloads.

Available first stages, with UTC date of most recent recovery:
1072.2    Jun 25   ?
1085.6    Jan 15
1073.22  Jan 30 
1077.19  Feb 11  Starlink 12-25
1067.26  Feb 15
1080.17  Feb 18
1076.22  Feb 21
1083.10  Feb 27
1092.2    Feb 27
1086.6    Mar 3

Nit: Both 1073 (expended) & 1086 (burned up after landing) are now gone. 

[zubenelgenubi]

Edit March 21:  Errors corrected.

Thank you! 😊

[GewoonLukas_]

LAUNCH UPDATE: NROL-69 is scheduled to launch on a @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station NET March 24.

This mission is NRO’s 5th launch of 2025 and 1st this year in partnership with @USSF_SSC. 🤝

NRO Press Kit: https://www.nro.gov/Portals/135/assets/press-kits/10408_Press%20Kit%20book_Launch_NROL-69_3.18.25.pdf

https://twitter.com/NatReconOfc/status/1903207261389873415

NRO Mission Patch: https://www.nro.gov/Launches/launch-nrol-69/

[GewoonLukas_]

Lift-off targeted for 17:48 UTC
Booster B1092-2

SpaceX is targeting Monday, March 24 for a Falcon 9 launch of the NROL-69 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 1:48 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup opportunity is available on Tuesday, March 25 at 1:34 p.m. ET.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about ten minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.

This is the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched a Starlink mission. Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=nrol-69

Twitter/X Webcast: https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1mrxmPDEzbdJy

SpaceX Mission Patch:

[zubenelgenubi]

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1903224287693246865

Targeting Monday, March 24 for a Falcon 9 launch of the @USSF_SSC and @NatReconOfc’s NROL-69 mission from Florida → http://spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=nrol-69

[Steven Pietrobon]

PDF of online SpaceX press kit.

[catdlr]

Here is a consolidated post of available video links for this launch:

SpaceX direct live broadcast on Twitter:  https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1mrxmPDEzbdJy

SpaceX Re-broadcast alternatives on YouTube: 
Space Affairs:  https://youtube.com/watch?v=RcryPsLjTk8

Replay supplied by The Space Devs (15 min after the broadcast end):  https://youtube.com/@thespacedevs/videos

Summary Video provided by SciNews (15 min after the broadcast ends):  https://youtube.com/@SciNewsRo/videos

NSF Live Coverage:  Not posted yet otherwise, check this page:  https://www.youtube.com/@NASASpaceflight/streams

Post Launch Extras:

CelesTrak has ephemeris-based SupGP data: https://x.com/TSKelso
Max-Qproductions by Pete Carstens: https://www.youtube.com/@maxqproductions1

[GewoonLukas_]

Pictures of Falcon 9 vertical from SpaceX' website:

[zubenelgenubi]

FYI launch thread coverage: I won't be available to screencap during Monday's launch window, sorry.

[catdlr]

FYI launch thread coverage: I won't be available to screencap during Monday's launch window, sorry.

Neither will I, as I'll be asleep.  I thought this was a nighttime launch; I planned wrong.  If it's like the one at VSFB, there's not much to cover.  The Video highlight and the Full Broadcast videos will suffice.  And FST might be available.

[catdlr]

Link updates in RED:

Here is a consolidated post of available video links for this launch:

SpaceX direct live broadcast on Twitter:  https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1mrxmPDEzbdJy

SpaceX Re-broadcast alternatives on YouTube: 
Space Affairs:  https://youtube.com/watch?v=RcryPsLjTk8

Replay supplied by The Space Devs (15 min after the broadcast end):  https://youtube.com/@thespacedevs/videos

Summary Video provided by SciNews (15 min after the broadcast ends):  https://youtube.com/@SciNewsRo/videos

NSF Live Coverage:  https://youtube.com/watch?v=eEoAZVy7ZUY


Post Launch Extras:

CelesTrak has ephemeris-based SupGP data: https://x.com/TSKelso
Max-Qproductions by Pete Carstens: https://www.youtube.com/@maxqproductions1

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spacex/status/1904218686006644979

All systems are looking good, weather is 90% favorable, and propellant load is about to begin for today’s launch of the @USSF_SSC and @NatReconOfc's NROL-69 mission from Florida

[FutureSpaceTourist]

T-30 NSF is live